Sleigh



(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. H. SAWYER SLEIGH.

Snow M07,

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851 424; GUM/14mg I (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

A. H. SAWYER.

SLBIGH.

No. 394,726. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

'1 Lfllilllllllll lzllll UNiTEn STATES PATENT FFICE.

ALBERT II. SAlVYER, OF NORTH lVEARE, NElV HAMPSHIRE.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFIGATIONiorming part of Letters Patent No. 394,726, dated. December18, 1888.

Application filed September 15, 1888. Serial No. 285,474. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. SAWYER, of North lVeare, in the county ofHillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sleighs and Sleds; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in sleighs and sleds, andparticularly to a type in which springs are employed to obviate shockwhen the runners encounter obstructions or rouglmess on the road-bedthat would jolt the occupants of the sliding vehicle.

One object of my present invention is to provide a sleigh or sled with asimple and efficient spring compensating device which will absorb thepercussive action of the runner caused when moving rapidly over anuneven road-bed or when said runners ride up on snow-crust and break itdown, and at the same time prevent lateral swaying motion of thesleigh-body, the line of spring vibration being rendered vertical, ornearly so.

At'urther object is to furnish a spring compensating device for theprevention of shock or jolting percussion in a double runner sleigh orsled, spring mechanism being applied to both sets of runners and adaptedto afford vertical yielding action thereto, while the front set ofrunners is allowed to swivel on a center plate laterally.

\Vith these objects in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter setforth, and indicated in the claims.

Referring to the drawings making a part of this specifieation,Figure 1is a side elevation in perspective of a sleigh to which the improvedspring appliance is attached. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of therunning-gears of a sleigh, showing the method of constructing myimproved spring device and its application to a sleigh having one pairof runners. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.Fig. at is a side elevation of a doubleseated sleigh having two sets ofspring shockabsorbing appliances attached thereto. Fig. 5 is across-section of a sleigh-bod y with modified form of the springshock-absorber adapted for heavy loads. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of abob sleigh or sled having two pairs of runners,

shown in Fig.3, with the torsion-springs removed and the parts enlargedto clearly illustrate the manner of constructing the details. S and 9are detached views of important details enlarged.

D is the body of the sleigh. (See Fig. 1.) This may be given any desireddegree of finish and variation in design to suit the taste of thebuilder. It is provided with a strong light frame having three parallelpieces, D, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. that extend longitudinally toafford means for securing the bottom boards, and also for proper stableattachment of the sleigh-body upon its running-gears. The latter-namedparts consist of a pair of runners, (7, given the form substantially asshown, although this shape may be varied at will of the constrncter.

()n the runners G the elliptical plate-springs B are mounted. These mayhave any required number of leaves so disposed and secured upon eachother as to produce elastic springs of proper strength and resiliencefor the load they are to sustain.

The springs Bare hinged to the rear ends ot' the runners C, as shown,and swung in loops, or are hinged at their forward ends to said runners,the curvature of the platesprings B being such with regard to that ofthe runners and the forward points of hinged connection of the same thata portion of the bodies of the springs 13 will lie in nearly ahorizontal plane and approximately parallel to the tread orbearing-surface of the runners.

The body D is secured in place upon the springs B by the bent metallicbolster-plates G, which have their outer ends fastened upon the springsin any improved manner and their inwardly-extended portions similarlyattached to the three frame-bars D, as shown in Fig. 2, the bars beingrepresented in dotted lines.

Across the front of the runners B a crossbar, E, is pivoted on theprojecting studs E, so as to hold the runners and permit them to have anindependent vertical movement. ()n this bar E the thills .F are hingedor shackled in the usual manner.

l pon bolster-plates G the transverse shafts (t are held to rock by theloop bolts 1', which pass upwardly through the longitudinal frame-piecesl) and are secured thereto by nuts. The shafts (6, extending in the sameaxial line, have their inner ends supported in contact with each otherby said bolts, which are preferably located bet ween pairs of spacedcollars as shown in Fig. 7, so that endthrust of both shafts will beprevented.

()n the ends of the rock-shafts (1, inside of the loop-bolts r, the armsa are integrally formed, these, bending downwardly and out:- wardly aproper distance, terminate in cylindrical. bosses which are perforatedin a line parallel with the axis of the shafts, and checleshoulders Tare provided, that depend from the bosses u on each side of the joint,to prevent too great a flexing action of the joints.

The knee-pieees A are bifurcated at their upper ends to produce spacedparallel cars 6 on each, as shown in Fig. 3, these cars being perforatedto be pivoted to the bosses o of the arms a, and thus afford hingedjoints to these pieces that are adapted to permit the lfllOG-PlGCQS tovibrate in line with the runners, but prevent any deflect-ion of thejoined pieces laterally, the lower end of the kneepieces A being clippedto the runners (l at H, so as to atford hinged joints which will eoactwith the upper joints, and thus permit a rocking vibration of the shafts(1, arms (1, and knee-pieces A in an obvious manner.

.l"herc are two torsional wire springs, S, spirally wound upon the innerends of the shafts (t, which springs have their outer terminals engagedwith the ears 1 and their other ends in bearing-contact with the centerlongittnlinal frame-piece l), as shown in l ig. I). .The tllltitlllullof the coils of the springs is such that their strength will be exertedto lift and transfer the weight of the kneepieces A upon theplate-springs 1 thus rendering the action of these parts more sensitiveunder light; loads, so that percussive action incidental to abruptcontact of the runners with inequalities of the road-bed will be quicklyneutralized:

In Figs. 4c and 5 are shown a modified :form of the rumiing-gearssubstantially like that just described, but so changed as to render thesame capable of sustaining heavier loads; and to this end two sets ofcom ;)ensatin mechanism are provided to aid in elastically supportingthe body of a two-seated sleigh.

It will be seen in. Fig. 5 that the duplicate rock-shafts a have thespiral coiled sprin S, located near the arms a, the inner terminals ofsaid coils engaging the perforated ears 2' and their other ends bearingupon the outer longitudinal. frame-pieces D, so that the torsionalresistance of the springs wi llbe exerted nearer the knuckle-jointsbetween the arms a and the knee-pieces A. By coiling the springs S moreor less their force may be increased to a certain limit, and as thedirection of these coils is reversed from those shown in l ig. 2' theirstrength will. be added to that of the plate-springs l to sustain weightplaced in the body I) of the sleigh, and these will coact to absorb anyjolting of the sleigh which may be occasiom d by the movement of therunners over inequalities on the surface of the road-bed or theencounter of the runners with a mass of snow slightly incrusted thatraises the front of the sleigh and permits it to suddenly fall by reasonof the breakingof this crust.

It is necessary that the strength of the springs b be proportioned tothe capacity of the vehicle to render them OlllClOllt in operation, andalso the loadsustaining capacity of the elliptical platesprings l whichare secured by the metal lmlster-plate G to the sleigh-body near thecenter of length of said springs and body.

The connection of the transverse roeleshafts a and spiral springs S ismade to the front and rear of the bolster-plate, so as to spread themand afford proper support to the weight placed on the front and rearseats when the sleigh is in use.

In llig. t3 the combined torsional and plate spring shock-arrestingdevice is shown as applied to a bob sleigh or sled, two independentpairs of runners being employed to properly sustain the long body I),and, as will be observed, the rear bob or pair of runners is connectedto the body I) by a bolstenplate, (at, the depending ends of which arebent into flanges 0, that are bolted upon the elliptical plate-springsl5. Any other preferred form of this bolster may be utilized to securethe springs 13 in alignment with the sides of the body I), the ends ofthe springs being shackled or otherwise connected to have hinged jointswith the runners (I at or near their front and rear ends, as shown.

The arrangement of the rock shafts (l, springs h, and jointedknee-pieees A, together with. the integral arms a, on the rear bob issubstantially shown in 'l ig. 5, this form of connection of the partsbeing n'el'errml as best tulapted to su 'iport heavy loads.

.lhetfront bob or the sled shown in Fig. 6 is provided with a wooden ormetal bolster, on, that is secured on the plate-springs 1%, the wedge-shaped endblocks, n,' being i ntrodnced between the lower surface ofthe bolster and the springs 13 to sustain the upper surface of thebolster in a plane about parallel with the tread or wearing-face of therunners A longitiulinal. groove is cut in the lower surface of thebolster m to receive the rockshafts a, which are similar in form tothose shown in Fig. 5. The shafts may be secured to the bolster byloop-bolts, as previously described, or metal boxes of ordinary form mayb secured to the lower side of the bolster m to afford rocking supportto the shafts a.

Upon the under side of the body D, near the forward end, as shown, thecenter plate, P, is attached by the connected diagonal braces 0 g, whichmay be of any preferred form to adapt them to the purpose of affording arigid support to the center plate, P, which has swivel-connection withthe bolster m to permit the forward bob to be turned on the plate as acenter, in the usual way.

All of the knee-pieces A have been shown as inclining forwardly to flextoward the front of the sleigh or sled. This is not absolutelynecessary, as it is apparent that equally as good results will beobtained if the joints moved toward the heels of the runners 0.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the knee-pieces A have their outer facesnearly in the same vertical plane with the runners O. This is preferred,as it relieves the joints a of lateral strain, but it is not imperativethat such a form of'construction should be resorted to, for if there isa considerable degree of inward inclination given to the knee-pieces Aand joints a these jointswill flex and the yielding support of thesprings S be rendered available.

If preferred, the rock-shafts (6 may be made continuous as one shaft andthe rock-arms a be made separate and secured upon the shaft in line witheach other after the springs S have been placed on the shaft, andconnected therewith in the same manner as previously shown, or onespiral spring of proper length and strength may be substituted for twoseparated springs.

Minor changes of construction of the parts of this device might be madewithout departing from the spirit or exceeding the scope of myinvention; hence I do not desire to limit the construction of parts ortheir combinations to the exact form and arrangement herein shown; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a body, a rockshaft, arms for the rock-shaft,and a spring secured to the shaft and engaging the body, of runners anda device to maintain the body and runners in vertical yieldingconnection and prevent lateral motion of the body, sub stantially as setforth.-

2. The combination, with a body, two rockshafts having arms on theirouter ends, and

two torsional springs, of a pair of runners, springs secured at theirends to the runners, and a yielding device adapted to hold the body fromside motion and permit a vertical reciprocation of said body,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a body, a transverse bolster, runners, and twoplate-springs secured to the runners, of a rock-shaft having armslocated in the same plane and adapted to be hinged to two knee-pieces, aspiral spring located on the rock-shaft, and two knee-pieces jointed tothe rock-arms and runners, having flexible joints that yield only inline with the runners, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a body, a bolster, a pair of runners, andplate-springs hinged to the runners, of two rock-shafts located in axialalignment and connected to the under side of the body so as to rock,spiral springs secured to and mounted on the rock-shafts, two rockarmson the ends of the rock-shafts, and kneepieces hinged to the rock-armsand runners and adapted to prevent any lateral motion of the body andpermit free vertical reciproca-- tion of said body, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination, with a sled-body provided with two independent setsof runners, of rock-shafts, springs thereon, rock-arms, springsconnecting the body and runners, and knee-pieces hinged to the rock-armsand runners, the forward set of runners being provvided with a swivelingdevice to permit it to swing laterally, substantially as set forth.

, 6. The combination, with a sleigh or sled body, two independent setsof runners, platesprings bowedjand hinged by their ends to the runners,and a bolster-plate for the rear set of runners, of rock-shafts for eachset of runners, rock-arms on these shafts, springs that are mounted onthe shafts and connected to the knee-pieces, hinged to the rock-arms andthe runners, and a swiveling device for the front pair of runners,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT H. SAVYER.

' Witnesses:

ALBERT 0. BROWN, Gno. H. WARREN.

